Merck's (MRK) VAXNEUVANCE Approved in the EU for Individuals 18 Years of Age and Older

Merck (MRK) And Ridgeback Announce Publication of Phase 3 Study of Molnupiravir

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics today announced the New England Journal of Medicine has published findings from the Phase 3 MOVe-OUT trial evaluating molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral medicine, in non-hospitalized high risk adults... More

Merck (MRK) Announces FDA Holds on Studies Evaluating Islatravir for the Treatment and Prevention of HIV-1 Infection

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed clinical holds on the investigational new drug applications (INDs) for the oral and implant formulations of islatravir (MK-8591) for HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); the injectable formulation of islatravir for HIV-1 treatment and prophylaxis; and the oral doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL) HIV-1 once-daily treatment. The FDAs clinical hold is based on previously announced observations of decreases in total lymphocyte and CD4+ T-cell counts in some participants receiving islatravir in clinical... More

UBS Upgrades Pfizer (PFE) to Buy, Downgrades Merck (MRK) to Neutral

UBS analyst Colin Bristow downgraded shares of Merck to Neutral (NYSE: MRK) on the lack of evident catalysts and the lack of visibility around key growth drivers.

The analyst also lowered the price target to $76.00 per share from the prior $98.00 as two key growth drivers - islatravir for HIV, molnupiravir for COVID - facilitated negative updates recentl

molnup's hospitalization/death relative risk reduction dropped from 48% (at interim) to ~30% (all evaluable patients) and... More

UPDATE: UBS Downgrades Merck (MRK) to Neutral

(Updated - December 13, 2021 4:41 AM EST)

UBS analyst Colin Bristow downgraded Merck (NYSE: MRK) from Buy to Neutral with a price target of $76.00 (from $98.00).

The analyst comments "We are downgrading MRK to Neutral and lowering our PT to $76 (from $98) given two of MRK's potential key growth drivers (islatravir for HIV, molnupiravir for COVID) have had recent negative updates and we... More